The present invention relates in general to an apparatus for marking the post-detonation safe area within a mined terrain and pertains, more particularly, to a lane marking device mounted and carried on the aft portion of a catapult-launched fuel air explosive weapons system (CATFAE) for deploying markers for marking a safe area within a terrain containing unmarked and undetonated explosives. The lane marker of this invention is an improvement over the conventional lane marker.
With conventional marker systems it is generally necessary to manually place marking flags for daylight visibility and set flares for nighttime visibility to define a safe area within a terrain with unmarked and undetonated explosives. However, manually placing markers subjects operations personnel to substantial risk arising from the fact that maintaining darkness or a low level of illumination is often desirable in the field. Thus, under field conditions, operations personnel must place the markers without being certain of the location of unexploded devices, even after detonation has occurred. Another drawback associated with the conventional marking systems is the general risk to personnel from unexploded or hidden mines, whether day or night, when manually placing either flags or flares.
Co-pending application, Serial No. 332,851, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,644 describes an improvement over conventional marking systems in which a post-detonation safe area is visibly marked within the boundaries of an otherwise explosive environment, both during nighttime dark conditions and full-visibility daylight conditions. Marking, as disclosed in the co-pending application, is generally accomplished by deploying a marker housing with subsequent outward deployment from the marker housing of telescoping members bearing flags for daytime marking and chemiluminescent light sticks for nighttime apparatus and location marking. In operation, an overpressure condition created by the detonation of an explosive cloud activates a timer operatively securing a lid containing the markers. At a pre-set time, the lid is released and a previously coiled telescoping member extends beyond the housing and a tapered end carries the day and night markers. A drawback of the invention of the co-pending application is the method of initiation of the chemiluminescent light source. The invention of the co-pending application has been improved upon by the present invention.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved lane marker having an assembly that is adapted for ejection from a CATFAE after impact of the CATFAE. A mechanical timer device controls the opening of marker compartments in a housing carried by the assembly and further controls the subsequent deployment of the markers.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved lane marker with mechanical activation of a chemiluminescent light source.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved lane marker having a light source initiator that does not activate the light source until just before deployment of the lane markers by one or more outwardly biased probes.